For a small country town (population less than 1200), Dorrigo managed to come up with some surprising events last December.

It started with our late night shopping on 5th December.  Organised by the community group Hands On in Dorrigo it was an enormous success with stores staying open till 9 and offering specials from 5 till 9.  Santa came to town for the kids and there was dancing and fun for all.  The photos are from their Facebook page.

On December 14th we had the best Made in Dorrigo Day yet.  A gorgeous sunny day and lots of visitors made it all worthwhile for the Dorrigo artisans who’d put so much effort into creating and presenting their wares.

 

The week after this, on the evening of December 17, someone had the great idea of a street dining experience which they dubbed “Dining off the Deep End”  I am not sure why that name.  I have seen a website called deep end dining which seems to be about weird and exotic foods done in a very American way (tacos, burgers and pizza) but it didn’t seem to fit our affair.  Can anyone enlighten me?  We set up in the middle of the main street, inviting anyone to join us, including some astonished visitors, and waved to the tractor and cars driving past.  Everyone brought delicious food which was shared around, and it was tremendous fun.

December 20 saw the opening of the Dangar Falls Labyrinth.  This was a project instigated by Jenni Francis, who is beginning to get quite a reputation in these parts for designing labyrinths, and Fran Clayton, a movement therapist, and supported financially by ETC Community Support Fund, Dorrigo Expansive Education Program and Dorrigo Arts Council.  In Dorrigo we are so often critical of our local Bellingen Council, but to their credit they got behind this community project and here is the wonderful result.  You can read about it and see the people responsible in the Bellingen Courier-Sun article

And then it was Christmas and we enjoyed the fruits of the wonderful Dorrigo providores